|
Scary end of the week as markets tumble on rumours of Korean Exchange - UpBit being under investigati
| |
|
|
|
May 11 · Issue #130 · View online
3 Things You Need To Know From The Convergence Ecosystem
|
|
|
Scary end of the week as markets tumble on rumours of Korean Exchange - UpBit being under investigation for fraud. Hodl strong and make sure you take time off for the weekend!
Today we explore how token mining may be impacting research in AI, possibilities of Google Duplex passing the Turing Test and a long-form on one of the world’s most wanted hackers.
|
|
1. Why A.I. and Cryptocurrency Are Making One Type of Computer Chip Scarce
The rise of cryptocurrency mining has caused a surge in demand for GPUs. Drawing parallels with the gold rush, it is almost as if the picks and shovels can no longer be found by retail customers. Gaming enthusiasts looking for a hardware upgrade often spend upwards of a 50 percent premium on Graphical Processing Units (GPUs) due to a market shortage. Originally designed to render graphics for computer games and other software, GPUs are now used to mine tokens such as Ethereum. This, however, has a serious impact on the pace at which AI progresses. Startups routinely find themselves unable to find the right kind of processing units and thereby find a serious hiccup in their research efforts. For perspective, token miners purchased 3 million GPU boards worth over $776 million last year alone. While companies have begun restricting individuals from buying a large number of units, it doesn’t look like the markets will see a normal, steady supply of GPUs any time soon. More on the matter in this New York Times piece here.
|
2. Did Google Duplex just pass the Turing Test?
Another story on Google Duplex. Perhaps, we are too fascinated by machines that are now capable of placing phone calls on your behalf. This story questions whether Google Duplex passes the Turing test. It was a measure of a machine’s intelligence that relied upon its ability to mimic human conversations. Thanks to Google Duplex, we now have systems that are capable of entirely replicating actual human conversations. In the demo made by Sundar Pichai (see below), the individual at the receiving end did not realize she was speaking to a bot. In fact, the bot was even able to replicate tones and breaks in the conversation accurately. This has deep ethical implications as digital interactions could often occur with people believing they are interacting with real human beings. Would this mean Google Duplex actually passes the Turing Test? Find more about the limitations of Google’s system and the answer to the question from Lance Ulanoff’s post here.
|
Google Duplex: A.I. Assistant Calls Local Businesses To Make Appointments
|
3. Inside the Hunt for Russia's Most Notorious Hacker
Botnets. Financial Crime. Russian hackers. The last story of the week has it all. Written over a year ago, this is a long form that sheds light on the story of Evgeniy Mikhailovich Bogachev. Creator of the Zeus Botnet - a malware designed to assist with bank fraud. The malware was deployed through e-mails that typically tricked individuals into downloading a file. Once downloaded, it allowed third parties to log pins, passwords and even social security numbers. This access was then used to log into the victim’s bank accounts from their own IP address and make bank transfers. Scary isn’t it? Well, it was scary enough to land a $3 million bounty on the individual that created the botnet. Over a period of 3 years, his team of 50-60 individuals caused damages worth well over $100 million using the botnet. Interestingly enough, the person has not been arrested yet. Broken into 9 parts, this story by wired explores the early days of Evgeniy, his bot’s far reach and the nature of his operations. Grab it here.
|
|
|
|
|
convergence thinking in action by our friends at @ @ @ applied to a open, decentralised, tokenised Eerngy market https://t.co/zRSKDAI9K6 |
|
4:13 PM - 11 May 2018
|
|
|
Did you enjoy this issue?
|
|
|
|
If you don't want these updates anymore, please unsubscribe here
If you were forwarded this newsletter and you like it, you can subscribe here
|
|
|
|
This email is intended only for the person to whom it is addressed and may contain confidential information. No one else may place any reliance upon, copy or forward all or any form of this email in any way. If anyaddressing or transmission error has misdirected this email, please notify us immediately by responding to us directly, and ensure that the email and any attachments are immediately and permanently deleted and is not used, disclosed, copied, printed or relied upon in any manner. In no event shall Outlier Ventures Operations Ltd or Outlier Capital LLP be liable for any direct, consequential, incidental special, punitive or other damages, whatsoever (including without limitation, damages for loss of business profits, business interruption, or loss of business information), even if Outlier Ventures Operations Ltd or Outlier Capital LLP have been advised of the possibility of such damages. Outlier Ventures Operations Ltd may monitor email traffic data and also the content of this email for the purposes of security. Outlier Ventures Operations Ltd is registered in England and Wales, company registration number 10722638. Outlier Ventures Operations Ltd is an appointed representative of Sapia Partners LLP which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Firm Reference Number 550103). Crypto-currencies can be extremely volatile and subject to rapid fluctuations in price, positively or negatively. Investment in one or more crypto-currencies may not be suitable for even a relatively experienced and affluent investor. Each potential investor must make their own informed decision in connection with any such investment (after having sought independent financial advice thereon). The content provided in this email is provided for information purposes only. It is not intended as an offer or solicitation to enter into any proposed transaction or investment. In this email you will find links to other websites; they are for your convenience or to provide additional information, they are not an endorsement or a financial promotion. Outlier Ventures Operations Ltd Is is not responsible for the any contents, data, opinions and or reliability of the linked websites, and does not necessarily endorse views expressed on the linked website, and does not accept liability for the accuracy or completeness of any such information or opinions which can be subject to change without notice.
|
|
